Variable curl platform curler



May 31, 1960 N. 1.. SOLOMON VARIABLE CURL PLATFORM CURLER Filed July 9, 1956 INVENTOR NATHAN L. SOLOMON ATTORNEY VARIABLE CURL PLATFORM CURLER Nathan L. Solomon, 343 Highview Road, Englewood, NJ.

Filed July 9, 1956, Ser. No. 596,666

3 Claims. (Cl. 13242) This invention relates to hair curlers. More particularly, the invention deals with what I term a platform curler, wherein ends of a swatch of' hair can be first tightly wound around the body part of the curler, after which, the-platform element is then swung into position on the first wound part of the hair and over said body part in forming a raised or enlarged diameter portion, upon which, the remaining part of the swatch of hair iswound for the purpose of forming larger diameter curls in the ends of the hair as it approaches the scalp, resulting in thicker, softer curls adjacent the scalp Still more particularly, the invention deals with a curler of the character described, wherein a retaining strand is fixed to one end of the curler and has a T-plug at its free end, adapted to engage a conical socket in the other end portion of the curler in retaining the curler with a swatch of hair wound thereon in position upon the head of the user.

Still further, the invention deals with a novel method of forming curls in a swatch of hair, wherein the curls at the end portion of the swatch are short or closely waved and the curls adjacent the head of the wearer are long or widely waved.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. l is a side and sectional view of a curler made according to my invention detached. from the hair, with part of the construction broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional plan of the body part only of the curler.

'Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the curler arranged upon the first windings of a swatch of hair; and

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the completion of the winding of the curl and diagrammatically indicating the scalp line of the head.

My improved curler comprises three primary parts, namely the body part 10, the semi-circular platform element 11 and the retaining or holding member 12. The body part 10 is shown detached in section in Fig. 2 of the drawing and it comprises a moulded body of suitable plastics fashioned to form a contracted central portion 13, with outwardly flared and enlarged ends 14 and 15. The central portion 13 has an elongated slit 16 for reception of the ends of a swatch of hair in starting the winding of the hair upon the curler.

The end 14 of the body 10 has registering large and small diameter apertures 17 and 18 opening through opposed sides of the body 10 and an end aperture 19, which opens into the inner end of the aperture 17, so that the end of a strand member 12 of the member 12 can be fixed to the end 14 by passage of a knot or other enlargement, not shown, through the larger diameter 17.

Wed. Stews Piltetlt i" Patented May 31, taco The other end portion 15 of the body 10 has a conical socket 20, which is adapted to receive the pin portion 21 of a T-plug 22 in securing the curler with hair wound thereon in position adjacent the scalp of the head, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

The apertures 17 and 18 form pivot sockets for a pair of opposed pins, one of which is indicated at 23 in Fig. 1 of the drawing, these pins extending inwardly from rounded extending ends 24 of the element 11.

The platform element 11 is generally semi-circular in cross-sectional form, as noted in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and otherwise conforms to the contour of the body 10, in other words, has the enlarged ends and contracted central portion. The walls of the element 11 are spaced from the body 10 to form a chamber to receive the early windings of the swatch of hair upon the body 10. Thereafter, the platform element 11 is swungdownwardly over the body 1!) with the hair wound thereon as diagrammatically seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing; thus providing a raised or larger diameter portion on the body 10 and the hair wound thereon. The curling operation is then continued until the entire swatch of hair has been wound on the curler assemblage; whereupon, the element 12 is put into operation by plugging the pin 21 into the socket 20. This retains the curler in position upon the head.

In this connection, it will be apparent that the strand 12' is preferably composed of elastic material to adapt itself to curl diameters of different sizes. It will be noted, from a consideration of Figs. 1, 3 and 4, that the element 11 has spaced inwardly directed prongs 25 which are adapted to grip the early windings of hair, as illustrated in Fig. 3, in firmly securing the curler upon the wound swatch of hair.

A curler of the type and kind under consideration will give a wide range of possible variations in the formation of curls and, particularly, in controlling the curl or wave of that part of the hair adjacent the scalp which can be built up by virtue of the element 11 to larger diameters, thereby producing a softer type of curl. In this connection, it will be understood that this can further be controlled by the number of windings of the ends of the swatch of hair directly upon the body part 10, preparatory to moving the element 11 into operative position.

It will also be noted that the element 11 includes, centrally thereof, longitudinally spaced apertures 26 to aid in ventilating the curl Wound upon the curler. It will be apparent that the contracted central portion of the curler will have a tendency to build-up a larger body portion of the resulting curl centrally of the curler than at the end portions thereof.

With my improved platform curler, I have produced a new method of forming curls, wherein the curls, at the end portion of a swatch of hair, are short waved and the curls of the swatch adjacent the head of the wearer are long waved. This method produces a soft wavy effect as the hair lies upon the head; whereas, the end portions of the hair have the short or close wave.

The prongs 25, in addition to engaging the hair wound on the body 10, also maintain substantially concentric alinement and equidistant spacing of the platform with respect to said body. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the small diameter of the body 10 facilitates the formation of small tight curl ends; whereas, the platform provides the longer or soft curls near the scalp. It is also pointed out, at this time, that, by employing plastic material in forming the body part 10 and platform 11 and utilizing relatively short pivot pins 23 entering the apertures 17 and 18, the platform can be attached and detached at will in the u sejof the curler or in cleaning the curler parts. Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new andtdesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

,=.l. ,A platform curlerof the character described; comprising a solidwall body part, a platform elementand a -retaining member, said body part-having a contracted central portion and outwardly flared ends, means comprising opposed apertures at one end of the body part for pivotally mounting said element in connection with the body part, the element generallyconforming to the contour of the .body part and being substantially semicircular in cross-sectional form and overlying substantially half of thefb'ody part throughout its length, said elementfhaving circumferentiallyenlarged ends and a contracted central .portion,--the central portion of the bodypart having an elongated slit extending transversely through the of said body part, said platform being adapted to be moved onto the first wound part of a swatch of hair ion-said body part, whereupon the remainderof the hair is wound over said platform and the first wound portion on the body part, the other end ensues portion of the body part having a tapered socket, said 3. A platfonn curler oi the character described, comprising an elongated body part of solid wall structure throughout the major portion of its length, said body part being, circular in cross-sectional form, said body part having a contracted central portion and enlarged ends, an elongated platform element substantially semicircular in cross-sectionaliorm, said element having a contracted central portion and enlarged ends to generally confon'nffo but of larger diameter than the' body part, means for pivotally coupling one end of saidelen ent to one end'por'tion 'ofthe b'ody part, prongs spaced longi tudinaily of the inner'sprface'ofnsaid elementengaging the body part to support said element inispaced substantially parallel relation tosaid body pram-means fixed to one end of the body part and detachably coupling with the other end portion thereof for retaining a swatch of hair wound on the body part and element against displacement t e e o a said p n s nga s d: p the-swatch of hair wound on the body part and disposed within said element.

References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,977,152. Solomon Oct. 16, 1 934 .2,243;173 -Smal1ey May 27, 1941 2,421,259 Grant May '27,, 1947 2,421,287 Reininger May-27, 1947 2,445,924 'R'atlifi July .27, 1948 2;484,563 Hall et a1. Oct. '11, 1949 2,720,882 Solomon Oct; 18, 1955 Solomon e May 5, 1959 

